UCLA
22-13-1, 9-7-1
USC
24-14-1, 11-7
Bruins Edged in USC Rubber Match
April 23, 2023 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – No. 22 UCLA fought back from an early three-run deficit but was ultimately downed on a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning as USC recorded a 6-5 win in Sunday's rubber match at Dedeaux Field.
UCLA (22-13-1, 9-7-1 Pac-12) trailed for most of the game, but pulled ahead with a four-run seventh that made it 5-3.
USC (24-14-1, 11-7) answered with two unearned runs in the bottom half of the seventh, setting up a bullpen battle down the stretch.
The Trojans ultimately rallied for the game-winning run in the ninth, loading the bases on two singles and an intentional walk. Right fielder Cole Gabrielson landed the walk-off hit for the Trojans, lining one over the head of UCLA right fielder JonJon Vaughns.
Vaughns led UCLA offensively, going 3-5 for his first-career three-hit game. Sophomore first baseman Jack Holman (2-4) and senior catcher Darius Perry (2-5) also had multi-hit days.
Perry got the Bruins on the board in the sixth inning, looping an RBI single into left field to plate junior third baseman Kyle Karros and make it 3-1 in USC's favor.
The Bruins took their first lead of the game in the next inning, rallying for a four-spot. Vaughns sparked that rally with a leadoff single, and UCLA went on to load the bases with nobody out after Josh Hahn bounced a base hit through the right and Daylen Reyes drew a four-pitch walk.
Sophomore shortstop Duce Gourson cashed in the first of those runners after lining a ball off the glove of USC first baseman Ethan Hedges for an RBI single. Karros then had the biggest swing of the day for UCLA, sending a 2-2 offering from Kyle Wisch down the left field foul line for a three-run double.
The Bruins had chances to go ahead in the late innings, but ultimately stranded multiple runners in both the eighth and ninth.
Sophomore left-hander Ethan Flanagan went 4 1/3 innings while allowing three earned runs in his first weekend start of the year for UCLA. Right-handed relievers Kelly Austin and Cody Delvecchio combined to allow just one earned run over the final 4 1/3 innings of the game.
UCLA continues an eight-game road swing on Tuesday night at LMU, starting at 6:00 p.m. PT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Clarke, Garrett (2-2)
L: Delvecchio, Cody (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Karros, Kyle 1 ; Holman, Jack 1
RBI: Gourson, Duce 1 ; Karros, Kyle 3 ; Perry, Darius 1
SH: Hahn, Josh 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Reyes, Daylen 1 ; Gourson, Duce 1 ; Karros, Kyle 1 ; Vaughns, JonJon 1 ; Hahn, Josh 1
SB: Knight, Malakhi 1
CS: Perry, Darius 1
HBP: Reyes, Daylen 2 ; Karros, Kyle 1
PO: Reyes, Daylen 1
Batting:
2B: Grudzielanek, Bryce 1 ; Jackson, Ryan 1
HR: Olmstead, Johnny 1 ; Hedges, Ethan 1
RBI: Grudzielanek, Bryce 2 ; Wells, Carson 1 ; Olmstead, Johnny 1 ; Gabrielson, Cole 1 ; Hedges, Ethan 1
SH: Overn, Austin 1 ; Wells, Carson 1
SF: Grudzielanek, Bryce 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Overn, Austin 1 ; Olmstead, Johnny 1 ; Hedges, Ethan 1 ; Jackson, Ryan 3
HBP: Lopez, Nick 1
